


'I think you've exerted yourself enough for one day.'

by Drhair76



Series: You don't have to say I love you to say I love you [1]
Category: Criminal Minds (US TV)
Genre: Alpha Derek, BAMF Spencer Reid, Cuddling & Snuggling, Emily is a good friend, Garcia is amazing as always, Gen, Hurt Spencer Reid, Hurt/Comfort, M/M, Rossi is everyone's grandfather and that's that, Spencer and Derek are in love, Spencer has a migraine, Team Dynamics, Team as Family
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2019-01-23
Updated: 2019-01-23
Packaged: 2019-10-14 21:42:13
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Graphic Depictions Of Violence, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,725
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/17516363
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Drhair76/pseuds/Drhair76
Summary: JJ walked over and sat across from them. "What's wrong?" She whispered."Migraine." Morgan mouthed and JJ winced in sympathy.or, Reid is really smart but that sometimes comes with a price.





	'I think you've exerted yourself enough for one day.'

**Author's Note:**

> Disclaimer: I do not own Criminal Minds or any of the characters on the show.

The case was a long one.

  
There were three victims, and an unsub, seemingly working alone, who's kills were unprompted and unplanned.  
There was no victimology, the only clear link between them was the way they all died.

"Okay. Let's round up the facts one more time." Morgan said to the room of his exhausted and irritated teammates.  
They were all a little on edge, having been in Baltimore for almost a week now with little to no progress.

"Fine." Hotch nodded. "The first victim was a twenty-four year old woman named Ruby Hob who worked at a flower shop. She had a girlfriend and they'd been together for two years. There were no children and she graduated from Loyola with her Bachelor's in business but did not continue to complete graduate school."

"The second victim, Jacob Robinson, was a thirty-six year old African American Male who dropped out of Towson high school when he was seventeen. He had a wife of five years and two young boys." Printess recited, leafing through her file. "He was a basketball coach at Yardly High school, which is two hours away from the area of Ruby's shop."

Rossi picked up from there. "And the third victim was Linda Moore, a seventeen year old girl with a large group of friends and a family who loved her. She had applied to UCLA-"

"Wanting to get away?" JJ asked and Rossi tilted his head.

  
"Maybe. We looked around her room and there weren't many personal details. No posters, diaries, or pictures."

"Weird, considering the sheer number of friends she had." Morgan pointed out.

"Her parents were definitely distraught. That type of grief is hard to fake. " JJ recalled easily. She remembered Linda's mother's cry of anguish when she broke the news and felt her heart twist. The amount of parents and family members that needed to be inform was taking its toll. She couldn't even imagine how she'd feel if someone came and told her such horrid new about her baby.

"There were no signs of physical abuse other than the strangulation. So Linda wasn't being physically abused but it doesn't mean she wasn't emotionally."

  
There was a silence as they all took that in.

Reid narrowed his eyes at the white board the team had used to put up all their facts. There was something staring him directly in his face and he couldn't see it.

  
It was driving him insane, and he knew that the thing he was missing would solve the case. Reid rubbed his temples in frustration and Morgan shot him a concerned look.

"Let's go over the way the victims died." Hotch offered. He knew that eventually the connection would jump out at them but mulling over the facts they knew was better than sitting in silence.

"They were all hit from the back of the head which shows that the Unsub was either scared of these people or knew he was too weak to overpower them." Emily deduced.

"He wouldn't have been scared of Ruby, seeing as she's never played any recreational sports and the only time she goes to the gym is to use the treadmill." Rossi added.  
"But Linda did Roller Derby and Jacob was a grown man who played basketball often. So that makes sense."

"The act of strangulation makes this personal. Even if they were knocked out or dazed from the hit, strangulation is a long and difficult way to end someone's life, especially when it's done with bare hands." Emily said looking around at her team.

"The medical examiner said there was a fluid injected into the vics postmortem. Something called NS." The sheriff said suddenly. He'd been so quiet that the rest of team forgot he was there.

The team looked to Reid, expecting him to immediately supply the answer but he was staring at the evidence board with such an intense look that there was no way he wasn't onto something. His brow was furrowed and he was mouthing something silently, seemingly not even listening to their conversation.

  
They all knew better, but right now the young man was preoccupied and wasn't in the mood to readily spout off facts.

"NS is one of the most common IV fluids. It works for most hydration needs." Hotch supplied after a moment.

"What's also interesting is that it's the choice of fluid for resuscitation efforts as well. Maybe a sign of remorse?" JJ asked.

"That doesn't make sense. Why go through all the trouble of strangulation to feel bad about it?" The sheriff asked.

"What if it is a sign of remorse?" Reid said finally, lifting from his seat. All attention snapped to him immediately, knowing that he'd seen something that they hadn't. He pulled out his phone and dialed for Garcia. "Garcia, I need you to check whether our victims attempted any type of medical or medicinal schooling."

"Of course, my beautiful boy of wonder." She responded cheerfully. The sound of computer keys clicking filled the tense room as they waited for her verdict. "And would you look at that! Ruby Hob's major was nursing practice but then she changed to business after a week. Jacob Robinson took a class in anatomy in high school just before he dropped out and Linda just recently transferred out of AP psychology to take up roller derby."

Reid nodded as if that was suspected.

"All the victims were killed because they transferred away from the medical field." Rossi marveled. "Nice job Reid."

  
"And that's why killing the victims in the location he did mattered so much. Ruby in her flower shop, Jacob in the gym and Linda at the skate rink." Hotch concluded.  
"Garcia look for people who were almost through medical school but were expelled because of an infraction. Most likely a white male in his late thirties who is smaller and didn't play any sports in his childhood." Reid said quickly.

"Okay. I've got two, a Dan Hall and an Ian Evans." She said after a pause.

"Check their medical records. One of them will most likely have more visits to the hospital for things like broken bones and bad bruises."

"What are you thinking Reid?" Morgan asked and Reid turned to him.

"Maybe...maybe our unsub was forced to take up a medical profession by an abusive parent." He said while fiddling with his pen. "He'd feel enraged at the fact that they dropped out when he wasn't able to but remorse after because it's really the parent he's angered by."

"Good one Reid." Emily complimented and Reid gave a small smile before he winced in pain. Emily frowned and was about to ask what was wrong when Garcia cut her off.

"I got it," Gracia called out. "It's Ian Evans. I have two locations, his old family home and his current place of residence."

"Alright." Hotch said and Spencer grimaced. He would be no good out in the field with a headache. His logical thinking would be clouded and he could hardly think straight as it was.

It seemed that Aaron could see that because he took one look at Spencer and moved to Morgan.

  
"Morgan, you and JJ head to the parent's house and Prentiss and I'll head to the other. Sherriff, your men are with us."

  
They all hurry out of the room except for him and Rossi. Spencer sighed in relief and sank back down into his seat. Rossi, noticing the pained grimace on the younger male's face, frowned in concern.

"You okay?"

  
Reid frowns. There's a migraine brewing behind his temple and it feels like a bad one. Sounds were already too loud and it wouldn't be long before the lights bothered him.

"I-i think I just need some rest." Reid mumbled and Rossi nodded.

"I think you've exerted yourself enough for one day kiddo." He chuckled softly. "It's safe to say that you can head to the jet and get some rest."

Reid smiled weakly and mumbled thanks.  
.......

  
As soon as Morgan was sure the unsub was caught and his help wasn't needed he hurried to the jet. He noticed the telltale signs of Reid's oncoming migraine before he left and had been worrying about him the whole time he was out.

  
The kid was laid out on the seats with all the lights off and his arms over his eyes.

"Kid?" Morgan whispered. When Reid didn't react he frowned. "Hey Spence."

Reid flinched and slowly lifted his head. "Der'k." He mumbled, blinking slowly. "We get 'em?"

"Yeah, pretty boy. We got him." Morgan sat down next to Spencer and carefully directed him so that he was laying on his lap. Morgan carded a hand through his hair, making Spencer moan in relief.

"How bad is it?" Morgan asked.

  
Reid was quiet for a moment and Morgan knew he was cataloging his symptoms comparing them to all his other migraines.

"A six." He finally whispered and Morgan winced. While a six out of ten obviously wasn't the worst, anything over five was too bright and too loud. Luckily it wasn't an eight, because Spencer could hardly speak during those.

  
"Alright pretty boy. I'll keep it quiet and dark for you." Morgan promised, continuing to run his hands through the younger male's brown locks.

The team showed up a little while later, all talking and laughing amongst themselves. They were all glad to be heading back home so they could relax and see their families again. But as soon as they walked into the jet they stopped. Reid was whimpering quietly and Morgan was attempting to comfort him.  
JJ walked over and sat across from them.

"What's wrong?" She whispered.

"Migraine." Morgan mouthed and JJ winced in sympathy.

"I'll get a hot towel." Emily said before rushing off.

JJ sat down next to Morgan, pulling Reid's feet into her lap. Rossi sat down across from them, with Emily handing Morgan the towel and sitting next to him.

  
"Okay Pretty boy, I'm gonna put this on your forehead." Morgan said softly, brushing Reid's bangs off his forehead and gently placing down the towel.

  
Reid's breath caught before he sighed in relief. "Th'nks."

"Rest Spencer. You did well today." Hotch said from across the isle. Spencer hummed and allowed himself to relax in the arms and company of the people he considered his close family.

**Author's Note:**

> I literally made up some of the names for the schools so..... 
> 
> Also yes, I'm here with another series about another obsession with a completely different fandom but I can't help the fact that I'm in love with them all can I?


End file.
